🎣Public Meeting Notice
The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) will hold an online meeting of its Ad Hoc Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Fisheries Innovation Workgroup (FIW) to discuss procedures to facilitate the development of new HMS gears and achieve the goals of the HMS Roadmap. This meeting is open to the public.
Learn More🎣New Fee Regulation for National Saltwater Angler Registry Announced
NMFS has established an annual fee of 12 dollars ($12.00) for anglers, spear fishers, and for hire fishing vessels to register under the National Saltwater Angler Registry Program.
Learn More🐬Incidental Take Regulations for Marine Mammals
NMFS' Office of Protected Resources has received a request from the NMFS' Office of Policy for the reimplementation of ITRs governing the incidental taking of marine mammals during geophysical survey activity conducted in the Gulf of America (GOA). Pursuant to regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is announcing receipt of this request and invites the public to provide information, suggestions, and comments on the request.
Learn More🎣New England Fishery Management Council Meeting Agenda Overview
The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public hybrid meeting of its Joint Skate and Monkfish Committees to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.
Learn More🎣NOAA Fisheries Announces Peer Review for Fishing Effort Survey Model
NOAA Fisheries Office of Science and Technology will host a two-day virtual workshop with the opportunity for partner and public comment for the independent peer review of the proposed Fishing Effort Survey (FES) calibration model methodology. The model is proposed for use to update the historical recreational fishing estimates produced using the FES to the scale of the improved FES anticipated for implementation in January 2026. Pending peer review results and associated next steps, calibrated estimates using the peer-reviewed calibration model are anticipated to be available for use in subsequent stock assessments and fisheries management decisions in spring 2026. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
Learn More🎣Exempted Fishing Permit Application Affecting Maine Fisheries
The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) application contains all of the required information and warrants further consideration. The EFP would allow federally permitted fishing vessels to fish outside fishery regulations in support of exempted fishing activities proposed by the Maine Department of Marine Resources. Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act require publication of this notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for proposed EFPs.
Learn More🐟Fish Import Regulations Under Marine Mammal Protection Act
Under the authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), the NMFS Assistant Administrator for Fisheries (Assistant Administrator) announces comparability finding determinations for all fisheries on the List of Foreign Fisheries (LOFF) for harvesting nations that export fish and fish products to the United States. Nations whose fisheries were denied comparability findings will be prohibited from importing fish and fish products from those fisheries into the United States beginning January 1, 2026. Until such time as the import restrictions imposed by this action are lifted or revised, trade restrictions on these products associated with the fisheries for which a comparability finding has been denied will continue and Certification of Admissibility will be required.
Learn More🐋Marine Mammal Photography Permit Regulations by NOAA
Notice is hereby given that Pacific Whale Foundation, 300 Ma'alaea Road, Suite 211, Wailuku, HI, 96793 (Responsible Party: Selket Kaufman), has applied in due form for a permit to conduct commercial and educational photography on marine mammals.
Learn More🎣2025 Commercial Closure for Gulf Greater Amberjack Fishing
NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for the Gulf of America (Gulf) greater amberjack commercial sector for the 2025 fishing year through this temporary rule. NMFS has determined that Gulf greater amberjack commercial landings have reached the commercial annual catch target (ACT). Therefore, the 2025 commercial fishing season for greater amberjack in the Gulf exclusive economic zone (EEZ) will close on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, and will remain closed through December 31, 2025. These actions are necessary to protect the Gulf greater amberjack resource.
Learn More🐬Issuance of Marine Mammal Permit and Business Implications
Notice is hereby given that a permit has been issued under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).
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